Changes

One day Paige was forced to bring Rylan to work as Leta could not babysit him that day; she was assisting a friend recovering from surgery.  Hayden unexpectedly saw Rylan at the dinner table; instead of being upset at Paige bringing him to work, he actually started bonding with him, and over the next couple of days the two watched movies together.  When Hayden learns of Glenn's actions, he secretly contacts his company's security firm, hoping that he can recover all or some of the stolen funds.  Sensing that Rylan needs friends (especially friends who won't tease him for his disability), he invites him and Paige to swim at his apartment's indoor heated pool, mainly so Rylan can meet his nieces Rachel and Isla, who have only known Hayden as injured and have been very kind to him during that time.  Paige also meets the other siblings: Hunter (and his wife Carissa) and Heather (along with her fiancée Ash; as a follow-up to the prior book his business has grown, now having two full-time employees plus two trainees).  Paige and Rylan (and Leta) are invited to continue the traditions of the past two years: the company children's Christmas party, the children's Christmas program at church (with Rachel and Isla as a featured duet), Christmas Eve dinner and service, and the "Christmas pajama sleepover", which they accept to some degree (they prefer to have Rylan sleep in his own bed on Christmas Eve but agree to come over in the morning on Christmas Day, pajamas included).

One day Paige was forced to bring Rylan to work as Leta could not babysit him that day; she was assisting a friend recovering from surgery.  Hayden unexpectedly saw Rylan at the dinner table; instead of being upset at Paige bringing him to work, he actually started bonding with him, and over the next couple of days the two watched movies together.  When Hayden learns of Glenn's actions, he secretly contacts his company's security firm, hoping that he can recover all or some of the stolen funds.  Sensing that Rylan needs friends (especially friends who won't tease him for his disability), he invites him and Paige to swim at his apartment's indoor heated pool, mainly so Rylan can meet his nieces Rachel and Isla, who have only known Hayden as injured and have been very kind to him during that time.  Paige also meets the other siblings: Hunter (and his wife Carissa) and Heather (along with her fiancée Ash; as a follow-up to the prior book his business has grown, now having two full-time employees plus two trainees).  Paige and Rylan (and Leta) are invited to continue the traditions of the past two years: the company children's Christmas party, the children's Christmas program at church (with Rachel and Isla as a featured duet), Christmas Eve dinner and service, and the "Christmas pajama sleepover", which they accept to some degree (they prefer to have Rylan sleep in his own bed on Christmas Eve but agree to come over in the morning on Christmas Day, pajamas included).

As Hayden tells Paige of the last minutes of his father's life, in turn, Paige admits she didn't re-enroll Rylan in school, not only due to financial issues, but because she feared he would look at other children and only think about his own limitations.  She also says a motorized wheelchair was in the works, but Glenn's theft of the settlement fund kept that from happening.  It leaves Hayden in a depressed mood most of the weekend, though he makes arrangements to gift Rylan with a motorized wheelchair for Christmas, along with presents for his two nieces<ref>The presents follow their interests as shown in the prior two books: Rachel -- who loves reading -- receives a bookcase and books, while Isla -- who loves art (and is extremely creative: as events unfold her creative abilities have grown) -- receives an art desk and supplies.</ref>  His mood is brightened only slightly by a mysterious call from a man who won't identify himself (except to state that he and Hayden have as a mutual friend the head of the security firm); he has (through illegal means) located and recovered all of the stolen settlement funds (plus his "finder's fee").  Paige asks Hayden about this the following Monday; he finally admits that he was behind the recovery.  Yet even this positive news leaves Hayden depressed: now that Paige has the money back, he fears she won't need to work any longer, and therefore she and Rylan will be out of his life.

As Hayden tells Paige of the last minutes of his father's life, in turn, Paige admits she didn't re-enroll Rylan in school, not only due to financial issues, but because she feared he would look at other children and only think about his own limitations.  She also says a motorized wheelchair was in the works, but Glenn's theft of the settlement fund kept that from happening.  It leaves Hayden in a depressed mood most of the weekend, though he makes arrangements to gift Rylan with a motorized wheelchair for Christmas, along with presents for his two nieces<ref>The presents follow their interests as shown in the prior two books: Rachel -- who loves reading -- receives a bookcase and books, while Isla -- who loves art (and is extremely creative: as events unfold her creative abilities have grown) -- receives an art desk and supplies.</ref>  His mood is brightened only slightly by a mysterious call from a man who won't identify himself (except to state that he and Hayden have as a mutual friend the head of the security firm); he has (through what is implied as illegal means) located and recovered all of the stolen settlement funds (plus his "finder's fee").  Paige asks Hayden about this the following Monday; he finally admits that he was behind the recovery.  Yet even this positive news leaves Hayden depressed: now that Paige has the money back, he fears she won't need to work any longer, and therefore she and Rylan will be out of his life.

Not until the day before Christmas Eve does Hayden finally tell a family member -- Heather -- the entire story about the accident.  Heather reassures him that their dad did not die disappointed in him, but that he would be disappointed if he could see what Hayden has done with his life since; it becomes the turning point after six long years of depression.  He and Paige discuss her future plans (she will continue to work for Hayden, instead of returning to study genetic research, which she was doing before Rylan's birth), and even though both of them still have concerns about a relationship given their employer-employee status (though technically, she works for Hunter), they agree to begin dating.

Not until the day before Christmas Eve does Hayden finally tell a family member -- Heather -- the entire story about the accident.  Heather reassures him that their dad did not die disappointed in him, but that he would be disappointed if he could see what Hayden has done with his life since; it becomes the turning point after six long years of depression.  He and Paige discuss her future plans (she will continue to work for Hayden, instead of returning to study genetic research, which she was doing before Rylan's birth), and even though both of them still have concerns about a relationship given their employer-employee status (though technically, she works for Hunter), they agree to begin dating.